The Easter holidays are firmly on the horizon and nervous parents are scrambling to book holiday clubs, organise play dates and fill the void left by school.

A staggering 86% of parents struggle to find activities for their children to do during the holidays, according to new research.

To help, Kinder has teamed up with leading children’s clinical psychologist Dr Elizabeth Kilbey to remind parents, that just 10 minutes of play is enough to boost a child’s development and wellbeing.

The poll of 1,000 parents with children aged between four and 12 has highlighted the pressures on parents, with 65% admitting they find it hard to fit in time around their work schedule.

Dr Kilbey said: “With parents under increasing time pressures, it might be easy to feel like they are not doing enough. But in fact, they are doing an excellent job - and even just 10 minutes of play with their little ones can mean a lot.

“The brief period helps to nurture well-rounded growth and strengthens the parent-child relationship. It has also been shown to encourage problem-solving, creativity, improve motor skills, coordination, and imagination.

“When it comes to vital social skills, engaging in play can enhance mood, and can help to provide an outlet for a child’s self-expression. Role-playing also fosters empathy and compassion, helping children to understand others’ feelings.”

Highlighting the importance of play, 83% of parents say they notice a significant improvement in their children’s wellbeing when their day involves play. And when it comes to favourites, imaginary games like “Superhero” (34%), “Teacher” (33%) and “Shopkeeper” (29%) take the top three spots.

When it comes to the value of playing with actual toys, a resounding 92% of parents believe that this kind of play can boost their child’s cognitive function. For those who need a bit of inspiration, help is at hand. Kinder’s Masters of Play provides a host of tips and play inspiration to help your child’s development during the Easter break.

Having partnered with inspiring experts such as Palaeontologist Dr Dean Lomax and Science educator, DadLab, is packed full of advice and fun activities for parents to do with their children.

For parents to help to enhance their child’s learning through play during the Easter holidays, Dr Kilbey advises: "Establish a playful routine, create your own playcation, stay connected with your child's interests and favourite toys, embrace unstructured play, incorporate learning into play, let your child lead, mix it up, keep play sessions short and engaging, celebrate creativity and emphasis the process, not just the outcome."

Check out Kinder’s website for lots of workshops and activities to keep your kids entertained this half term: https://www.kinder.com/uk/en/masters-play